Let’s walk through a practical example: designing a two-stage reduction gearbox for a robotics application.
Step 1: Launch and Setup Open SOLIDWORKS 2021, 2022, or 2023 (Geartrax 2022 is compatible with SOLIDWORKS 2018 through 2023). Navigate to the Tools menu and click "Geartrax 2022."
Step 2: Input Parameters Enter the following data for your first stage:
Step 3: Advanced Settings (2022 Feature) Click the "Tip & Root Relief" tab. Here, you can activate the new linear tip relief feature. Enter a start point of 0.02 inches before the tip and a relief of 0.0005 inches. This dramatically reduces transmission error noise.
Step 4: Assembly Generation Instead of generating two separate parts, click "Create Assembly." Geartrax 2022 will automatically create two part files, mate them with the correct center distance (calculated instantly), and set the proper rotational mating constraints. geartrax 2022
Step 5: Export for Simulation Right-click the generated assembly and select "Export to Simulation." Because Geartrax 2022 uses quad-dominant meshing, you can immediately run a Static study in SOLIDWORKS Simulation to check tooth bending stress (Lewis form factor) without manual mesh cleanup.
For low tooth counts (e.g., <17 teeth for 20° PA), the software shows an undercut warning and generates a true trochoidal fillet. This is critical for stress analysis.
For mechanical engineers and designers, the creation of gear pairs, splines, and sprockets is often a necessary but time-consuming evil. While CAD software has evolved leaps and bounds in general modeling, specialized gear design often still requires tedious sketching or expensive FEA software.
Enter GearTrax 2022. The latest release from Camnetics, Inc. continues its legacy of being the go-to add-in for SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor. If you are still modeling gears manually or struggling with the generic "Toolbox" components included in your CAD package, here is why GearTrax 2022 is the upgrade your workflow needs. Let’s walk through a practical example: designing a
Buy GearTrax 2022 if:
Skip it if:
One of Geartrax’s strengths is interoperability. From Geartrax 2022, you can generate:
Additionally, Geartrax 2022 exports manufacturing data: Step 3: Advanced Settings (2022 Feature) Click the
Input a driving torque and speed; Geartrax calculates root stress (Lewis equation) and surface durability (Hertzian stress) per AGMA 2001.
Before focusing on the 2022 iteration, it is crucial to understand what Geartrax does. Geartrax is an add-in application that runs inside SOLIDWORKS. Unlike manual sketching or extruding, which is time-consuming and prone to error, Geartrax automates the creation of complex gear geometries.
Using ISO or ANSI standards, the software calculates the exact involute curve profile, root fillets, and tip reliefs. It then generates a fully parametric, native SOLIDWORKS part or assembly file. Geartrax 2022 took this core functionality and refined it for modern manufacturing demands, including support for additive manufacturing (3D printing) and high-precision CNC machining.